India Pakistan Kashmir Redux

ORBAT ^ | 8-7-08 | Ravi Rikhye

[swarthyguy]

Some heightening of tension as agitators try and keep alive the closed incident of land to be given to a Hindu shrine to erect facilities for pilgrims, not to expand the shrine. In Kashmir, the Government of India follows a discriminatory policy that no outsider can buy land - this land was not be bought, just given for use, it would remain government land. This is a consequence of the 1947 articles of accession under which GOI promised this clause to then princely state ruler.

So when separatist Muslims began an agitation saying the government was not to let the shrine use the land, both the state and federal government immediately ran for the latrines experiencing grave stomach upsets, and emerged to revoke the land thing.

So there you have it: India is a secular nation, Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh is a multi-faith state, yet India permits Muslim fundamentalists to prevent other religions from practicing their faith - without the facilities for the pilgrims, visitors to the shrine have a really difficult time with accommodation, food etc. Kashmiri Muslims can buy land anywhere in India, no non-Kashmiri can buy land in that state. The fundamentalists are free to ethnically cleanse the Valley of Hindus, heaven forbid that the GOI should say a single word to the Muslims.

The issue is over, but some are insisting on keeping it going. GOI is running for the latrines again.

Meanwhile, 800 insurgents - almost all non-Kashmiri - are waiting to try and cross into Kashmir. This is why artillery duels are escalating across the ceasefire line: Pakistan artillery invariably covers infiltration and exfiltration.

Now wait a minute, you will say, didn't the Pakistanis promise they would stop infiltration? Yes, they did promise the US, and for a while they did deliver. But as we've told our readers, another big push by the Pakistanis is coming.

We dont blame the Pakistanis one bit for thinking they can push the GOI around, because GOI's record on retaliation is about the same as beating the Pakistanis with a single limp noodle. That too, beating a map of Pakistan with a limp noodle.

But whether or not the Pakistanis understand that 2008 is materially very different from 1987, 2000, 2002, when India blustered and did nothing, we have to tell our readers the situation from India's side is very different. India is ready, willing, and able to take on another assault, and this time, we are afraid, there is going to be retaliation. Neither GOI or the Army or the public are prepared to give way once again.

[Yeah, yeah, yeah, our Pakistani readers will say. Big talk again, huh? We've said they will be justified in thinking that based on past experience. Just be aware when retaliation comes, we told you about it well in advance.]

[swarthyguy]

Reading this, it sounds like India may not heed calls of restraint by the USA this time around.

[swarthyguy]

SRINAGAR, Aug 6: Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire yet again on the Line of Control (LoC) when they targeted three Indian forward pickets with small arms fire this afternoon....more

http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/

Here it comes, here comes your 19th stealthy infiltration....

[<1/1,000,000th%]

This while the Pakistani opposition tries to impeach Musharraf.

[swarthyguy]

Actually, it’s the government now, not the opposition.

Let’s see how that goes. I doubt it goes anywhere.